I am a "Noticer of Things"

My Grandma is the original Martha Stewart. Sadly since we have moved away, I only get to see her about two times a year. She is always doing projects and every time I visit, it is a game to see if I notice a new couch, lamp or table. Because, I notice things.

My Mom...well she does not notice things. She is going to get mad at me for this post, but, it is funny. One year, while sitting around my Grandma's new dining table...my Grandma asks my Mom..."Notice anything different?" Of course, she looks around...and she does not. The thing about this new table is, my Grandma has had the SAME dining table since my Mom and Aunt were little kids...should she notice? Well, you know, personally...I think so...LOL. But my Mom is NOT a noticer of things...

I always tease her about this...to which, she teases me for my bad grammar. ( A noticer of things...is not appropriate grammar use) But it sounds cute and funny, so I coined it. My Mom is not a noticer of things...I, folks...am indeed a noticer of things.

So, to add to my little neuroses I like things "just so". Seems appropriate for a noticer of things. Mister likes to UN-MAKE my "just so" things just to get my goat...and he gets me every time. With my recent decorating for the holidays Mister has had a lot of fun seeing if I will notice that certain things are not the way I put them...Here are some examples...

You see...these "special" trees were chewed up by a dog long ago. I have not used them in my Christmas village for years, so I threw them away...Mister, who does not approve of me throwing virtually anything away...took them out of the trash...and

magically they re-appeared in my hutch...with all my "specials"...Ummm yeah.

I guess Screacher's toy duck needed to be with his bird friends...on my mantle.....

And this elf needed a nap from all her skating?

This one was the best....The parents are looking at thier child making snow angels waiting for the adult-human sized racoon to I suppose eat him??? Welcome to my world.....

-Sister Scrappy

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Pinterest Addiction

Recently a friend sent me an invitation to Pinterest. I accepted the invite, looked around and thought..."How wierd, I don't get it...stuff you wish you had? What is this?" I got off the computer, completely perplexed.

Then the emails started coming in, so and so is following you on Pinterest. Then another, and another, and another. What? How can they follow nothing? I am not doing anything on Pinterest, I don't get it!?

What do I do? Well, clearly I must investigate the situation to see what is so great that everyone is on this Pinterest thing and wouldn't you know it? I found this great idea for a Thanksgiving craft. Then some great picture ideas ( I am a picture-taking junky) and recipes! Ohhhh the recipes.

That's it folks. I am hooked! Here are some of my latest

finds that pretty much sum it all up :)

-Sister Scrappy
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Anono-Momma...Kids and Anatomy

Over this last Thanksgiving holiday, my kids and I went to go and visit some family. You know how it goes...

"Are we there yet?"

"I need to pee, Mom!"

"How much longer?"

And through it all...I am driving...

and driving....

and driving some more.

"Are we there?"

"Can we go home? This is taking forever!!"

Now, I actually have to pee, I am in the middle of nowhere and desperately looking for a bathroom. Can't find one anywhere...Ughhhh!

When my kids start talking about body hair...whatevs...bathroom! Yes! Jackpot!

I butt into my kids conversation and announce,"Everyone get their shoes on, we are stopping for a minute for a drink and to use the restroom." They all follow orders and are putting on their shoes. I pull in and get out. My two big kids get out of the car as I am unbuckling my 5 year old out of his car seat. He hops to the ground and asks me a question.

"Do you know what is REALLY hairy Mom?" Clearly forgetting their previous chatter...I ask "What,son?"

"V**inas!" he replies. "What? Stop it!" We are now walking into the gas station, and there are people around.

"V**inas are the hairiest things EVER!" he repeats. "Stop talking about v**inas!" I quietly tell him in a WAY stern voice. Because of course, now, people are looking.

"Do you know who has the hairiest vagina?" he asks...clearly not listening to my command of "Stop talking about va**nas"...

So I repeat..."Stop talking about va**nas!!!!"

"Daddy's v**ina is the hairiest!" he exclaims.

"Son! I don't want to hear about Daddy's v**ina right now!"

This is where the conversation FINALLY ended...BUT of course, at this point, we were IN the gas station. *SIGH*

-Mortified Momma of 3

Reader Submitted

*Have your kids ever said anything to embarass you? We want to hear about it :)

Scrappy-Doo's Room Makeover

In my quest for a non-white walled kids room, I came across some great ideas with vinyl. I am huge on the wall words, which was how I stumbled upon this idea.

I wanted to create a "theme" that would captivate the attention

of a two year old, to make him actually WANT to sleep in his room....you know...and NOT mine? First, I painted the room, then put on the vinyl trees...and voila! A completely different room!

It didn't really work...but he likes to kiss the deer when we go in his room to get clothes out of his closet to change into.

Doesn't his bed look inviting? Maybe I will sleep in it tonight...at least ONE of us will get some sleep.

-Sister Scrappy

Post Thanksgiving humor bring on Christmas

We hope you all survived Thanksgiving and Black Friday (or Black Thursday if you hit the early early early bird sales).  The race to Christmas it on and it is on FULL BLAST.  This weekend for some is full of shopping, organizing, baking and hopefully resting and enjoying family and friends. 

Enjoy these post Thanksgiving and bring on the Christmas Humor!

Thanksgiving and Black Friday Funnies

Just for fun!  These cracked me up.  Thanksgiving and Black Friday comics just to make you laugh. And if you intend on going shopping for the Black Friday deals, make sure you get out early...

How to cook a Thanksgiving meal

Each Thanksgiving I would procrastinate and then run around at the last minute like a crazy woman.  Then I would google my recipes or frantically look for the ones I had printed out the previous year and then send poor Mister out to get my ingredients.

This year is different, we are visiting The Scrappys!

So in honor of that I thought I would save you procrastinators out there the trouble and lay it out for you...

Thanksgiving Pester Style. Click on the link to go directly to the recipe.

Turkey - Done as Roasted Sticky (see previous mention of it here) BUT.... this is important!  Follow the cooking directions of this guy... Click HERE

Spiral Ham - Yes we have both

Fresh Cranberry and Raspberry Vinegar Sauce- (nope the can does not do once you have had fresh) 

Green-bean and French Fried Onions Casserole -  (isn't this a staple)

Sweat Yams w/ brown sugar and butter -  (I leave them chunky)

Strawberry Pretzel Jello Desert - This is AMAZING

Apple Blackberry Sour Cream Pie -  MUST add the blackberries to make it extra special!!!

Spinach dip - I add artichoke to mine! (You can get canned or in a jar). Make sure to have plenty of sourdough chunky bread to dip in this!

Awesome Apple Cranberry Sausage Stuffing -  I add walnuts and leave out the Chicken parts.

Pester's Twice Baked Potato Casserole - (my own recipe and YUM) All the goodness that is in a baked potato and MORE!

6 large Potato's (Wash, leave the skins, quarter and boil until drain then mash, but don't mix until completely soft land smooth leave a tiny bit chunky).

Mix in your favorite seasonings (our most favorite for this dish is Roasted Garlic Red Bell Pepper) Season salt is good if you don't have anything fancy and pepper.

Add milk and butter to help mix.

Spread into casserole oven safe dish.

Layer 1 large container of sour cream over the top of potato mixture

Sprinkle Bacon bits over the top of sour cream (we use fresh chunky type).

2-3 cups of cheddar cheese over the top of the bacon bits.

Heat in oven at 350 F. uncovered for 20 minutes 

Sprinkle chives and more bacon bits over top and return to oven and broil for 2 minutes (or until golden brown, watch carefully so chives and bacon don't burn).

Black Olives - (to put on your finger tips)

Hawaiian Sweet Rolls - We loved them before we lived in Hawaii and LOVED them even more when we got there.

Gravy - a must have (I just buy he packets of turkey gravy from the store and add a small amount of drippings from my real turkey).

And if I am going to be honest here.... Last Thanksgiving SUCKED for the Pester family. We wanted to go and visit with family since we had a new baby and Momma wasn't in the mood to cook, (normally we have a big family gathering at our house). Our Suburban broke down on the side of the freeway and it was FREEZING.   We spent 4 hours... yes 4 hours at a truck stop waiting for the tow truck to take our Suburban back to our house and for Mister to get our other vehicle unstuck out of the gravel in our driveway and drive the 1.5 hours back to pick us up.  Yup. For reals!

This picture below is our do-over Thanksgiving the next month with just the Pester family in our own home. Not fancy but still very good! I didn't have the energy to make a fancy table.  

I hope you are blessed this Thanksgiving with lots of good food, good friends and family and great memories.

Gobble... Gobble!

-Sister Pester

Anono-Momma Thanksgiving

Let's just start this out by saying, I was young. I was sooooo young. I think I was only 21. My new husband and I were just starting out and we were enjoying playing house so much, I thought it would be fun to do Thanksgiving at our new place and invite my family to our house.

Doesn't that sound exciting?

We had just moved to another state, so the only people who could actually make the trip was my Mom and my Grandma. But still, so excited! My first Thanksgiving! I did so much research...looked in magazines...read Betty Crocker (this was before the internet folks). Made my list, and off to the store to get all my supplies.

Oh...and did I mention I was pregnant? With our first child...

My Mom and Grandma flew in on Thanksgiving Day. Dear Hubby tidied up the house while I tirelessly worked on dinner. Got the turkey in the oven, pies made the night before and we were off to pick up my Mom and Grandma from the airport.

Oh Joyous reunion! So happy! We must hurry home to our scrumptious feast! All I had left to do was make mashed potatoes and green bean casserole. The turkey should be just about finished by the time we get home. Perfect!

We got home, I rushed in the door, excitedly opened the oven to show my Mom and Grandma my newly discovered cooking skills and there it was!

Wait...what?

The turkey....it is still pink....and COLD.

Shoot! I need a diversion! Can't show THIS turkey...not now at least. "Wine anyone?" Oh, yes! Mom and Grandma happily accept. So, now as I begin peeling the potatoes I am updating everyone on everything hubby and I have done to the place, but in doing so, I am holding back hormonal tears as I am trying to not let on to what is going on with the turkey. At which point, my Mom offers her help. She opens the oven and seems perplexed.

She reaches in...feels the turkey. "Honey, this thing is COLD!" "I know" I reply, "It has been cooking since this morning, I think we are just a little behind schedule, maybe it will be done in an hour...just enough time for the potatoes and I will pop the casserole in afterwards."

"How long did you thaw it?"she asks. "Thaw it? I didn't thaw it, I put it in frozen this morning."

At this point, she tells me it will never be ready...well today at least. Who knew you were supposed to thaw a turkey? Why in the world would they sell it to you frozen? I never read about thawing it....Come on Betty Crocker...where was that in the book??? And now the tears are flowing. "Oh honey, it is okay....I will take care of this, sit down with Grandma." So, off I go, out of the kitchen.

As we are trying to figure out what we are going to do, Grandma starts telling stories. Apparently the glass of wine and lack of food are starting to get to her because her stories aren't exactly...how should I say it? "Grandma-ey stories" I am starting to get a little embarassed because my husband doesn't know her all that well yet....as she begins recalling one particular story about newly hatched chickens.

Meanwhile my Mom is frantically calling every grocery store, and restaurant in the area and nothing is open...nothing. Until she comes across a pizza place...pizza? L.A.M.E. I feel like such a total failure now.

Now, back to Grandma's story. It was winter and apparently it is too cold in the winter for the baby chicks outside. So they kept them inside, in the oven? This is going downhill and fast. They kept the oven on very low to keep them warm. When her Mom forgot. Yes, forgot. Turned the oven up to warm it up because she had some baking to do. When she felt it was sufficiently warm, she opened the oven to a tray full of fried chicks. And now Grandma laughs. Like big belly laughs. She spills her wine. Grandma is drunk. Dead chicks aren't funny. But Grandma is laughing.

What are we doing? Well, we are waiting for pizza and looking for some crackers for poor drunk story telling Grandma....

The pizza came....2 1/2 hours later....

Nobody has been to my house for Thanksgiving since.

(We also now wait for the food to serve the wine....)

- Betty Crocker Wannabe (reader submitted)

Anyone else have a horrible thanksgiving story they would like to share? Click comment below :)

OWC - Week 2 - Mexican Fiesta

Once a Week Cooking (a take off of OMC Once a Month Cooking).
The beauty of this cooking plan is your food doesn't necessarily need to be frozen.

This is my general plan...

1 Crock-pot Meal
3 Casserole Meals
1 Oven Bake Meal
1 Stove-top Meal or Toaster Oven/Rotisserie Meal

I get my recipes ready, (trying to do some dishes that are a little bit the same to make it easier), check to make sure that I have my ingredients (if not I send Mister off to the store), and get started right after church.

OWC - DETAILS
Here is how this weeks cooking batch went. First I place my beef roast in the crock pot and poured barbecue sauce over the top (about 1 cup) and started it on high.  I placed the ham in the oven. I took a full 3 pounds of ground beef and browned it and drained it.  Then I cooked 2 pounds of bacon (crumbled the bacon and split into two servings), saving the grease.  Then I sauteed 1 diced onion in the bacon grease and drained, split it into two servings. Then I boiled the frozen chicken breasts in a large pot on the stove top (until white and no longer pink inside).  Then I assembled all the dishes, removed my ham (and upped the temperature) and then placed all my casserole dishes in the oven and cooked them.  Removed them and placed refrigerator for the week! So easy... seriously.

Weekday Breakfast - Cheesy Breakfast Casserole
I decided to take charge of breakfast this week and make something that would give our entire family a jump start with lots of energy.  I will be honest... it was so good I had it for lunch during the week two times!  Another great addition would be eggs (we were out).

Ingredients

1 & 1/2 can of condensed cream of chicken soup.

1 & 1/2 (16 oz) container of sour cream

2 pounds hash browns (frozen type but let it thaw)

2 chicken breasts cubed (precooked)

1 & 1/2 cup diced ham (precooked)

1 pound of crumbled bacon (precooked)

1 package sausage (precooked)

1 cup shredded Cheddar Cheese

1 & 1/2 cup crushed potato chips

1/4 cup melted butter

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 F.

2. Combine hash browns, sour cream, soup, and meat. Mix thoroughly.

3. In 9x13 oven safe casserole dish spread mixture evenly.

4. Layer over top of mixture, cheese and then chips.

5. Drizzle butter over top

6. Bake for 20 minutes or until bubbly.

Sunday - Spiral Ham

Nothing more pleasing to the nose than a honey ham in the oven warming.  So easy.  And makes fantastic cold cuts for lunches during the week.

Ingredients

1 spiral ham

1 can pineapple slices

1/2 cup brown sugar

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 250 F.

2. Place ham in a deep baking pan (to collect the juices), cover with tin foil and place in oven. (Heat for 10 minutes per pound. Example -10 pounds = 1 hour 40 minutes.

3. 20 minutes before ham is done combine juice from canned pineapple and brown sugar and heat over medium low on stove top stirring constantly until bubbly, when thickened remove foil from ham and pour glaze carefully over the top.  Finish baking.

4. Remove ham and let sit for 10 minutes.

Monday - Easy Mexican Casserole

I love that this recipe has the word easy in it! It has to be easy right? YES! It was in fact super easy and very good. Ground beef, chips, salsa, cheese and beans... how could you go wrong?

Ingredients

1 & 1/2 pound ground beef

2 & 2/3 cups chunky salsa

16 oz canned chili beans (drained)

4 cups tortilla chips (crushed)

2 & 2/3 cups sour cream

1 & 1/4 (2 ounces) cans sliced black olives (drained)

1/2 chopped onion

2 & 2/3 cups shredded Cheddar Cheese

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

2. Brown ground beef in large skillet on medium heat (until beef is no longer pink). Drain out grease into small sauce pan and saute onions. Then add salsa and onions to beef and simmer for 20 minutes add beans.

3. Spray 9x13 baking dish with cooking spray. 

4. Take chips and place them in a large ziplock back and crush into 1/4-1/2 inch sized chips, measure out 4 cups and place in bottom of pan.

5. Layer beef, sour cream, cheese and olives over chips.

6. Bake in preheated oven for 30 minute or until cheese is hot and bubbly.

Tuesday - Chicken Pot Pie Soup

We just LOVE Chicken Pot Pie's and this soup was not a disappointment.  So creamy and perfect for a cold day.  It had all the goodness of a Chicken Pot Pie and was a hit with each one of my kiddos.

Ingredients

4 chicken breast cubed (precooked)

2 (16 oz) packages frozen veggies (we chose corn and peas)

2 (10.75 oz) cans condensed cream of potato soup

2 (10.75 oz) cans condensed cream of chicken soup

4 cups skim milk

Directions

In a large pot combine chicken, mixed veggies, all soups, and milk. Heat thoroughly.  Crumble your favorite crackers over the top and pepper to taste.

Wednesday - Beef Nacho Casserole

This dish was such a surprise!!! It seriously was so good, that Miss Queenie said it was the best dish so far! AND she actually had two huge helpings. It was gone in nothing flat and sadly not a drop of leftovers.  I will be making a double dish of this next time.  It had a surprisingly sweet taste to it and wasn't too spicy at all.

Ingredients

1 & 1/2 pound of ground beef 

2 cups of chunky salsa

1 large (10 oz) can of corn (drained)

1 cup of (miracle whip or mayonnaise which ever one you prefer... we did mayo)

1 & 1/4 teaspoon of chili powder

2 & 2/3 cup crushed tortilla chips

2 & 2/3cup of Colby Cheese (shredded)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 F.

2. Place ground beef in skillet and cook over medium-high heat. Cook until beef is crumbled and browned throughout. Drain. 

3. Mix into skillet meat, salsa, corn, mayo and chili powder.

4. In 2 quart casserole dish layer beef mixture, chips and cheese (2x) ending with cheese on top.

5. Bake for 20 minutes uncovered until cheese is bubbly.

Thursday - Barbecued Beef

This is such a great dish because you can eat it plane or you can spoon it over sourdough bread open face or have it in a roll as a sandwich.  

Ingredients

1 beef roast

1 cup of barbecue sauce

Directions

1. Place beef roast in crock pot and set to high heat for 6 hours

2. Pour 1 - 2 cups of barbecue sauce over top of roast.

3. 4 hours into baking shred beef with 2 forks, continue cooking or 2 more hours.

Friday - Teriyaki Chicken Parmesan Bake  

This was tasted like an elaborate dish but was super easy and so good!  Mister and I devoured our portions quickly and moved on to the kiddos leftovers. No really it was that good.

Ingredients

1 pound of bacon (precooked)

6 chicken breasts (precooked)

1/2 chopped onion (sauteed)

2/3 cup teriyaki sauce

1 & 1/3 cup Ranch style salad dressing

1 cup grated Parmesan Cheese

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 F

2. Place chicken breasts in oven safe cooking dish.  

3. Crumble bacon over the top of each chicken breast

4. Over the top of each chicken breast pour ranch dressing, sprinkle cheese, pour teriyaki sauce.

5. Bake for 20 minutes.

6. When serving make sure to ladle out drippings and pour over the top of chicken breast.

If you have any questions on any of these dishes or how I do a big cooking job, please ASK!  :-)
AND.... I would LOVE to hear about how your cooking adventure goes, how you liked the dishes or if you made any changes.

Happy cooking!
-Sister Pester

P.S. Once a month cooking is a big cooking project where you freeze meals.  Once a week is a smaller version where you can actually keep the dishes in your refrigerator.